THO Version 1
by Black-Rose01
Summary: Will be rewritten and reposted as a new story. This will remain here so people may read the original proto-plot if they so wish.
1. Chapter 1

Rose: I know it's early, but I'm making an ACIII story.

Disclaimer: OC's and plot.

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The snow fell thick upon the ground, coating it in a sea of white that blended the sky and earth into a single canvas, despite the blinding sight before him Connor led his horse further into the plains towards the camp he'd set up and left behind a few weeks before, with luck it would not be too damaged,

As he rode, the cold biting at his fingers and the wind chilling his body, he became aware that he was not alone, he could hear the thundering of horses hooves pounding the ground and the terrified screams of a woman in distress,

It appeared to be fading, pulling the reins of his own horse he forced it to stop so he may listen; yes, it was defiantly moving away from him, quickly he turned to ride in the direction so that he could chase them, he could not stand by and allow whatever was happening to that woman to continue,

He first discovered the ruins of a carriage, it was tipped on its side and the horses that had been pulling it were white in the eye as they attempted to free themselves, pulling a knife from his side Connor cut the leather straps which tied them down and watched them flee into the blizzard, then he checked inside the carriage for survivors but there was only the driver, long dead and half frozen from the weather,

The bags and luggage that had been on the roof of the carriage were strewn all around, clothes left behind to be forgotten as only anything of value had been taken; climbing back onto his horse the man felt a twinge in his head and clenched his eyes shut, when he opened them again he saw glowing red hoof prints in the snow,

This strange gift of his that he had first discovered as a child, it had helped him in the past, no doubt it would help him now,

He followed the still visible tracks of the attackers; his steed was faster than any other and could withstand the cold better than any horse he had ever known.

* * *

He followed the trail to a small village, it was not Mohawk though, and he could see no one who would confirm whether they were friend or foe; some tribes, such as his own, had made an alliance with the British forces because they promised to protect their heritage and allow them to live on their lands free from the threat of war and invasion, but other tribes had joined with the Revolution side, wishing to be free from the British who they saw as being the cause of all their problems,

Due to this strife the tribes had turned on one another and no longer was it safe to travel across land that belonged to others, climbing down from his horse Connor slipped behind one of the tipi's, peering through a gap in the sides he could see a family of Tuscarora, a tribe that were well and truly in favour of the Revolution and although Connor himself shared their allegiance he was also a Mohawk and they would not hesitate to attack him in the belief that he was their enemy,

Again he unleashed his gift, within each tipi he could see the red outlines of various people; in the middle of the small settlement however, was a huddled gold image that drew his attention, she was a trembling little thing dressed in the typical clothing of a settler lady,

He crept around the side of it; many tribes kidnapped settler women and children whether to use them as brides or to trade them to other tribes or back to their families, they brought new blood into the tribe and could increase a mans social standing, very often the women would eventually come to enjoy her time as women had a higher status with Indians than their own society,

Leaving her here felt wrong however, she was alone and frightened and if he had the chance to return her home then he saw no reason not to take it, he would never dream of kidnapping a women in such a fashion in order to marry her,

The flap was raised and he stepped inside, the woman snapped her head up with a gasp and her stormy eyes widened as he reached out his hand "wait…" her voice was soft, if not bottled sounding due to the tears still welling in her eyes, he halted "do with me what you what but please…be gentle" with that said she lowered her gaze to the floor,

Connor swallowed thickly and curled his fingers lightly around her upper arm to guide her to her feet, she shivered as the cold air engulfed her entirely "I will not hurt you" his breath washed over her face and his other arm slipped beneath her knees so that her lithe form was cradled against his much larger one,

Gold met silver and her fingers tightened around the blue trim of his cloak, she nodded once "be gentle" she repeated, his grip on her shoulder twitched and he exited the house and slipped back through the snow trail he'd already carved, whereas before he would have been mostly camouflaged due to his white uniform this woman's wine red dress meant he had to be extra careful with his movements, he did not want someone to come out into the village and see him carrying off their prisoner,

She seemed surprised to discover that he was not taking her to another wigwam but rather, he was taking her completely from the village, was he not one of them? Why then was he leaving with her? Perhaps there was a more…private residence that he wished to take her to?

Her heart pounded furiously within her breast, just a few hours ago she had been riding within a beautiful carriage on her way home; still feeling giddy from having seen her sister and her new little one , and now she was held captive within the arms of an Indian man as he whisked her off to heaven only knows where so he could have his way with her!

Or at least, that was what she had been led to believe; the Indians who took her originally had spoken in a tongue she could never dream of understanding but this man…this man spoke perfect English,

There was a beautiful, sturdy looking horse coming towards them; the man spoke to it in that unspeakable language and the horse whinnied, the words he spoke seemed somehow different to the ones she'd heard the others say earlier though, almost like it was a different language altogether; she did not have time to ponder for long as the man lifted her onto the saddle of the horse and climbed up behind her, a single arm tying itself around her slim waist to keep her balanced and safe as he rode,

And ride he did, fast and swift through the compact snow even as the blizzard blew thickly around them creating a haze that she could not bare her eyes to, the man had no such problems as the hood of his coat descended down over his eyes, shielding them from the harsh winds and allowing him to safely find his way.

* * *

His camp consisted of a single domed wigwam on the bank of a frozen river; this was where he lived when he grew tired of the bustling cities or did not want to return to his tribe, although he longed to see his mother again most of the Mohicans were favouring the side of the British and he felt unwelcome staying there for long periods of time,

The horse took shelter under the nearby trees where the wind could not reach it, Connor dismounted and hoisted the saddle bags over his shoulder before taking the hand of the woman and leading her inside his little home, the flap that made up the door was weighed down by a thick stick on the hem, keeping the winds and chill from finding their way in,

He was still holding the bags when the woman span him around and cupped his face with her slender hands before pressing her lips against his firmly, Connors eyes grew wide but he could not find the strength to pull away, the bags landed on the ground with a loud thump and for a moment he was concerned his lamp might have been shattered but the thought passed when he was taken in by her lips again,

They were so soft, why were they so soft? Oh mother, it must be a sin to have lips so soft! Why couldn't he stop thinking about how soft they were?

She moved her hands from his face and down to his wrists, guiding them to her waist where he clutched onto the sleek curve of bone that made up her hips, his thumbs rubbing the slope through her corset as the silky material tickled his calluses,

A tiny moan was torn from his throat when she pulled away, fluttering his eyes open (when had they closed?) he stared down at the blushing lady as she tried to keep eye contact with him, the red on her cheeks melting down her neck to rest upon her bosom,

"Was that…" she began, still struggling with her eyes, he saw them flickering weakly until finally she noticed the blank expression he wore "oh dear…you **do **kiss don't you?" she was beginning to panic "oh no, oh no, I've done something very wrong haven't I? I've insulted you, haven't I? I thought everyone kissed, should I have known you don't kiss? What do you do instead? Oh dear, I thought if I was docile you'd be gentle…oh dear, oh dear, oh-"

Connor did the only thing he could think of to stop her incessant babbling; he mated his mouth to hers once again, firmer this time and with his arms tighter around her tiny body, her lips were still moving with unspoken words as her brain caught up to what her body was doing, and with a jump she threw her arms around his neck to press back, he felt his hood drop and the woman's hands run across his scalp, the touch sending shivers down his spine to collect near his tail bone and then migrate towards the front of his body,

What was this woman doing?

He almost groaned again when she pulled away once more, why did she keep doing that? Could they not remain like that forever? Perfectly moulded against one another with their bodies indistinguishable from one another? Why ever not?

Her fingers were tracing his jaw softly, studying him; he had the typical reddish-tan that all his people possessed although it had paled slightly due to his choice of clothing, his face was a mesh of strong features, most prominently the jaw she was playing with and his hooked nose, his lips were rather thick for his face and he had always assumed he'd received that particular trait from his British father,

His head had been shaved and all that remained was the thick stubble across his skull, usually his people would grow their hair as long as they could before plucking themselves completely bald, save a small spot at the base of their skull where the hair would remain untouched so that it could be braided and beaded for war; Connor found the long hair uncomfortable under his tight hood though and often took the time to shave it every few weeks, he would have preferred to wear his hair in the traditional style but was unable to do so currently,

"You're very handsome" she whispered "more so than I was expecting"

Connor forced down the lump that had formed in his throat as his hazel eyes examined her the same way she had done to him; he had seen many settler women during his time in both New York, Boston and everywhere in-between, they were no different to Mohawk women in terms of physical appearance, often having narrow waists with widened hips, their skin was different obviously, being very pale and smooth, they had a wider variety of hair colours too, ranging from dark brown like the Mohawks to a rustic red that reminded him of the colours of changing leaves,

This woman had hair as golden as the sun itself; she had styled it into an elaborate twist at the back of her head but it had all but fallen out, with most of the locks hanging past her exposed shoulders to reach far down her back,

The clothing of this woman was similar to that of other settler women he'd seen, unlike Mohawk women who covered themselves in loose, easy to move in tunics, this woman was wearing many layers of clothes upon her lower half, but he was given full view of her collar bone and part of her breasts, as was the fashion it was tight around her stomach and waist and secured in the back with many ribbons,

"You too are…handsome" he murmured, was that the correct complement? He wasn't entirely sure, Indians were not quite as obsessed with physical appearance as Settlers were, every time he went to Boston it seemed as though the men and women were finding new ways to alter their shape, hair or features to fit in with the latest 'style'

She flushed darker as he spoke and he assumed that meant he'd done well, but it had already been too long since he'd felt her lips, barely two times and already he had become addicted to the feeling of her mouth, the way it moved against his own, the texture and moisture…

"What is this called?" he asked, their breath mingling as he leant down, utterly lost in that strange floral scent that wafted from her skin,

"Kissing" she replied "it is called 'kissing'"

"Kissing" he repeated softly, looking from her lips to her eyes "it is very…interesting"

"Do you not kiss?"

Connor shook his head "no, my people do not 'kiss'"

There was a flash of confusion "I don't understand…how then, do people show affection for one another?"

"There are many ways; friends who have been separated may embrace one another or clasp hands and husbands and wives inhale one another's breath"

"Inhale one another's breath?"

Although their breath was mixing together they were not inhaling it, so Connor cupped the back of her head and tilted his own so his nose brushed her cheek, from this position the breath they exhaled from their mouths was combined and then forced back into their lungs when they inhaled again, the woman gasped lightly, obviously she had been expecting a kiss,

Why did this act seem much more thrilling that kissing? Before, they had been touching, they had felt their lips slide across each others but here, here they were barely touching at all, just the slide of his nose on her cheekbones as they breathed into one another,

Perhaps it was the fact that they **could **touch and yet they were refusing to do so, the temptation was there for him to take, he could claim her mouth again in her strange Settler custom or he could continue with his own peoples way of doing things, to share ones breath was special, the breath led to the soul; they were tasting each others souls…absorbing them, it was much deeper than her kiss,

He was broken from his daze when the woman moved, it was a tiny twitch of the muscles, nothing big but to Connor it might as well have been an earthquake, his eyes came back into focus and he straightened his back, the woman had her eyes closed with her hands pressed over her heart as she struggled to control her breathing,

"If we are to do this…perhaps we should not waste another moment of time" her eyes were still shut tight, he could see the creases forming on the outer corners of them,

"Do…what?" he inquired,

Then his heart jumped, suddenly remembering the reason why she was here in his wigwam rather than riding in her lavish carriage to whoever knows where,

She had been kidnapped to be taken as a wife…

And she thought **he **was the bridegroom!

Connor took a step back and one of her eyes peeked open curiously "I am not going to hurt you" he said evenly,

"I know, you said you would be gentle"

"No" he tried again, struggling to find the words "I am not going to lie with you" grey orbs popped open in shock, he saw relief and surprise fly across them before there was a sudden explosion of pain across his cheek,

**SMACK!**

"How dare you!" she cried, the blush on her cheeks no longer from bashfulness "how dare you allow me to carry on like some wanton bar girl! How dare you allow me to make a fool of myself like that!"

Connor clutched his cheek, feeling the heat burn through his fingers as blood rushed to the area, he wouldn't be surprised if it bruised "I did not intend-"

**SMACK!**

Now he had a matching pair "do not speak to me! You horrible, cruel man! Do you have any idea how terrified I was? I thought if perhaps I began kissing you then it would not be so unpleasant but now I know you were merely leading me on, taking pleasure in how scared I was! Finding enjoyment in ruining my reputation back home!" she buried her face in her hands and he heard sobbing "it does not even matter if you lie with me now, by the time I return home no one will believe I am innocent…"

"Surely if you explain to…these people, then your reputation would remain intact?"

"Explain what?" she snapped and he was taken aback, moments ago she had been sweet and docile but now she was like a wildcat fighting for freedom from a trap "that I spent my time alone with only the company of a **man**? Do you know how that sounds? I will be laughed out of my father's house. They will think of me as a whore!"

Now he understood, with no one to supervise them she was afraid that people would believe her to have engaged with him in ways he was sure she was not supposed to, there would be no way to prove that she was still a decent woman and as such, no one would wish to marry her,

It made sense after all, his own people were also very strict about pre-marital affairs and courting couples were closing watched by elders and family members,

She was still crying, only she had dropped onto the floor and was using the skirts of her dress to dry her eyes, Connor crouched down beside her "perhaps if I explain?" he was ready to move back when she looked at him, just in case she attempted to hit anywhere else,

"I do not think they would listen to reason from a man…such as yourself"

"A savage, you mean" she remained silent and averted her gaze "I see" standing back up he fished out his lamp from the saddle bags he'd dropped earlier, it was getting dark and if he didn't light it now he never would, luckily it had not been damaged in the fall; light flooded the tiny room and he hung the lantern in the centre so it illuminated everything and gave the illusion of warmth "I have blankets" he stated "and food and water if you should need it"

"Thank you" the woman muttered, not moving even as he draped the thicker of the two blankets across her shoulders, she clutched it more securely around her shivering form, pulling it up over her head and stuffing her nose down inside it so that all he could see were her eyes,

He sat beside her, knowing that, even if she refused, body heat was going to be essential if she wished to get any sleep, he could soundly pass days and nights in his little wigwam with nothing but blankets and a lamp but he was sure she wasn't as hardy as he was,

Already he could see her eyes dropping and her body struggling to stay upright within the blankets "if you need to lay down-"

"I'm fine" she cut him off sharply but not minutes after stating as such she was already drooping again and Connor shifted closer to catch her head as it fell to the side, she muttered something incoherent under her breath and cuddled into his shoulder, he positioned her on the ground and watched her cocoon herself further in the blankets,

A combination of the cold, anger and crying had tried her out, with luck she'd sleep through the night and hopefully the weather would have mellowed by then allowing him to take her home.

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Rose: So what do you think for a first chapter?

Review please!


	2. Chapter 2

Rose: Thanks for everyone who read and/or reviewed, it means a lot!

Disclaimer: OC's and plot.

* * *

Connor awoke to a feeling of warmth.

There was something beside him that was emitting a lot of heat and it was so comfortable that he aimlessly threw out his arm and pulled whatever it was closer to him,

Under his hand he felt a smooth slope coated in silk, he rubbed across this strange curve curiously as his other arm slipped under the warmth to bring it closer still, he exhaled softly and pressed his nose into the soft, sweet smelling hair in-front of him,

It took his groggy, sleep filled brain a moment to realise he was cuddling the woman he'd taken from the Tuscarora tribe the previous day, but any thoughts of letting her go and rolling over were forgotten when he breathed in that floral scent of hers again, how did she get her hair and skin to smell like berries and flowers? It made him think of home every time he hid his senses in her neck,

Finally he cracked open his eyes and blinked a few times to rid them of sleep, he was greeted with her blond curls as she lay with her back to him just before he shifted the blankets that had tangled between them to the side and manoeuvred them over their bodies instead, the woman wriggled to bring her arm up so she could pillow her head,

The Mohican looked down at her back, examining the criss-crossing white ribbons that held her corset together, was it comfortable to sleep in that? They moulded a woman's shape, exaggerating her hips and waist to give a more hourglass shape, why couldn't the Settlers just be happy with the way their women looked? Why did they need to change them? It didn't make sense to him,

Drawing his attention back down her spine he trailed a finger along the ribbons gently, they'd become a little dirty due to their sleeping arrangements and were no longer the pristine white they had been when he'd taken her,

Finding the tail of the ribbons at the bottom he swiftly pulled on it, the bow came lose and the corset opened, he heard the woman heave a heavy sigh before falling silent again, beneath the corset was the top half of a cotton under dress of some kind though the rest of it vanished below her skirts, he ran his large hand under the side of the corset to feel the dip of her waist and hip once again, this time it was not as steep but the heat from her skin soaked through the under dress better than before and it caused his hand to tingle pleasantly,

He flipped the corset off her completely and watched as she rolled onto her stomach, cushioning her head with her crossed arms, she seemed far more relaxed now that the constraining article was no longer wrapped around her,

Connor knew he shouldn't have been touching her like this, it wouldn't do anything to alleviate the fears she had about what people would think of her at home, but the warmth of her body, the feel of her curves was just too addicting, he loved all of it under his palms,

Besides, he would retie the corset when she awoke, and he wasn't playing with the skirts of her dress in any manner so there would be no need for her to believe he'd done something more to her as she slept,

His curiosity was just too great, he wanted to know about the garment in more detail; what was it made of exactly? What gave it that stiff shape? How did she breathe within its confines?

He slid it out from under her and sat up to lay it across his lap, it was very pretty he decided, made of red silk with a white lace trim along the bust line, there appeared to be something sewn inside the corset that gave it that body changing shape but he could not see what it was, he debated whether or not to cut it open and find out but he was sure she wouldn't be happy with him if he did that,

Connor licked his lips, still trying to examine what was between the folds of the corset; he pinched parts of the article and felt around, not realising that as he was sating his strange impulses the woman was waking up,

At first it was slow, she smelt the dirt beneath her and shifted around to try and get comfortable again, now that she had woken the aches and stiffness from sleeping on the ground were becoming noticeable to her, with a small moan she rolled over and sat up, feeling a chill run over her upper body,

Glancing down her eyes widened, where had her corset gone? Looking to her right she found it…being fondled in the lap of that man!

She shrieked, throwing her arms around herself as the man jumped and quickly flung the corset towards her "you…you…savage!" she bit out at last, too furious to think up a more intelligent insult, he seemed to brush off her words with ease and exhaled softly,

"I am sorry"

"Sorry? Sorry?" she took the blankets, wrapping them around her body like a shield "what possessed you to remove my clothes as I was sleeping?"

"You appeared uncomfortable; I was merely trying to ease your sleep"

"And what were you doing with it in your lap?"

He paused "looking at it"

Her golden eyebrow arched "I see" then she took a deep breath to calm herself, no good could come of getting angry, it was unladylike "you must assist me with it, I am unable to tie the back by myself" her voice still had an edge to it but she was no longer yelling,

"Very well" she stood up first and slipped the corset around her upper body, Connor came up behind her and began to thread the ribbons through the loops and pull on them to bring the two pieces together,

"Tight, please" he pulled a little harder "tighter"

He frowned "if I pull them too tight you will be able to breathe"

"No, you must pull it so the two ends meet in the middle" she straightened her back for him and he saw a gap appear between her spine and the material "otherwise it will offer no support for me, it will not choke me despite what you appear to believe. It will, however, give me some trouble with sitting and lying down which is why you must have thought I was uncomfortable as I slept"

The man blinked at her explanation and nodded mutely, perhaps appearances were deceiving in this case, she said the corset was for support not body morphing so it made sense that it should be tight,

With a reluctant sigh he effortlessly pulled and tied the ribbons for her, tucking the bow away and stepping back to give her some space, she smiled at him from over her shoulder,

"Thank you, Mr…uh" she turned completely around and gawped at him "I never asked your name!"

"Connor Kenway"

She bunched up her skirts and held them to her sides before dipping her legs in a curtsy "I am Tabitha Coxe. A pleasure to meet you, Mr Kenway"

He furrowed his brow, this woman went from one extreme to another; one moment she was burning in anger and the next she was as sweet as a blackberry "the pleasure is all mine, Miss Coxe" he hoped he'd gotten her title right, there were at least three different ways of addressing a woman and all of them revolved around her marital status,

She was blushing again "I'm sorry for my outbursts" she bowed her head "and I apologise for striking you, I was just so upset and angry that I saw red. I do hope you'll forgive me" he blinked "and I'm sorry for calling you a savage, that was ignorant and rude"

Connor was used to Settlers believing themselves to be better than him; after all, he was just some half breed scum that didn't fit into their perfect world…but this woman didn't appear to honestly think of herself as his superior, she had admitted to being ignorant and he knew ignorance was something easily cured,

"I must also apologise" he said lowly "I should have taken the time to explain that I was trying to save you, not marry you, I understand you must have been scared"

"Thank you, Mr Kenway"

He moved past her to the saddle bags "I have water, are you thirsty?" she touched her throat and nodded "hungry also?"

"A tad" she replied shyly,

All he had were dried meats and he wasn't sure they would be up to her standard but it would have to do, he handed her the canteen and a strip of meat, as he expected she stared at the food as if it would be the one to devour her,

In an attempt to console her he took a large bite of his own piece, she gawped at him in disbelief and then looked back down at her strip to nibble the corner, she found it very salty, no doubt she would need that water, but it was also very filling at the same time,

Even though she was starving, she could not bring herself to take more than lady-like nibbles in-front of him, he may not have been a man like she was used to consorting with but he was still a man, and now that they'd put the previous days misadventures behind them she wanted to act like the well bred young woman she was,

He had no qualms about minding his manners, he took large mouthfuls of meat and deep gulps of water before wiping his mouth on his sleeve, it was almost as if he didn't care what she thought of him,

But that was ridiculous wasn't it? He must care what people think…at least a little bit, surely?

She licked her fingers daintily and swallowed small sips of water from the canteen to wash down the rest of her small meal "thank you for sharing this with me"

He looked at her mid-drink and quickly lowered his canteen to clear his throat, he felt ashamed for some strange reason, all Tabitha had done was glance at him but it had sent a twisted feeling of heat into his belly that he didn't like "you are very welcome" he said, taking another, smaller, bite of food,

He watched as the woman licked the corner of her mouth, soaking up the salt that had collected there and he shivered involuntarily, something about those lips…

"Where was your carriage taking you?" he tore his gaze from her face and tried to find something of equal interest to stare at but there was nothing, nothing would equal those lips…

"Boston" she answered "my sister's just had a baby and I was on my way home from seeing her"

Those lips…

He shook his head when he realised she was speaking "Boston isn't far, a few days ride. Why weren't you on the train?"

She appeared embarrassed "The train does not stop in my sisters' town because it is only a small place. A carriage was the only way I could reach her; however, my father will never let me leave Boston again after this little adventure"

"I too prefer to take my own path" he said and Tabitha smiled warmly,

"But there's a difference, isn't there? You're a man and you know how to survive out here. If you hadn't come to my rescue yesterday…I don't know what would have happened" Connor had a pretty good idea but he thought it best not to vocalise them "it isn't too far out of your way is it?" she asked,

If he was honest, he would have told her that he had just come from Boston a few days prior and had been hoping to spend some time alone in his little wigwam, but Connor didn't feel like being honest at this time "no, I was riding that way"

Her face lit up "really? Oh, that's wonderful! Thank you"

"You will be required to sleep rough the next few nights. I hope you realise this"

She blinked "but…but there's snow outside"

He smirked "I know these lands as well as I know the back of my hand. There are plenty of places to sleep; warm, safe places" she didn't look like she completely believed him but she had no choice,

"And will you be fine with me? I haven't a brush for my hair or a change of clothes"

"Why should that matter?"

She blinked, of course…he was immune to what others thought of him, why should he understand how she felt "it is nothing" she shook her head "just silly woman things, when I am back in Boston I will have all I need, I can survive a few short days without a simple brush or a clean dress"

Connor was only half listening, too busy packing away the water, food and lamp back into his bags "I'm going to prepare the horse, stay inside where it's warm for as long as possible" she watched him leave with the bags on his shoulders,

The storm had ended some point in the night, leaving the sky a bright, cloudless blue and the ground coated in a thick sheet of woollen snow, his horse was standing in the same spot he'd left it in the previous day, when it saw him coming it whinnied and shook its mane to shake off the snow that had settled on it,

He stroked the nose of the mare and soothed her "_you are well?_" he whispered in his native tongue, the horse bobbed her head and nibbled his hood,

Throwing the saddle and the bags over her back he secured them, along with his quiver of arrows, the bow he kept on his own back just in case, and led her over to the wigwam, the woman with all her skirts wasn't going to be able to fight her way through the snow like he could,

"Miss Coxe?" he called, lifting the flap of his home, she was standing in the middle waiting patiently for him with her arms folded in-front of her, he motioned for her to follow him but before she could step outside he had already swept her up into his arms, he didn't want her dress to get wet because it would cause her legs to freeze under them, she was upset when he removed her corset he didn't want to know how mad she'd be if he informed her that the skirts would have to go,

He lifted her onto the saddle, she squeaked and slipped forwards into the curve of the seat and tried to push her self back so he could climb in-front of her "will your horse be alright? The snow is deep" she mumbled worriedly,

"My horse will be fine" he soothed her "hold onto me, snow is not as soft as some would have you believe" her slender arms wound around his waist and he felt her fingers tangle into the jacket he wore under his coat "are you ready?"

"Yes" her voice was very small, she was obviously nervous about being on the horse, the previous day she'd been preoccupied with other things and he'd been holding her from behind, this time she was responsible for keeping herself upright, at least this way she wouldn't get cold,

"_Yah! Yah!_" he dug his heels into the sides of the mare and jolted her off towards the north.

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Rose: Just a little bit shorter than the first chapter, I hope it's alright. The plot is gonna take a few chapters to get going, so I apologise if it seems kinda slow.

Review please!


	3. Chapter 3

Rose: Hello again everyone! Thanks for reviewing if you did so!

Disclaimer: OC's and plot.

* * *

The ride was rough for Tabitha, she was not used to being on the back of a horse and the constant bucking and bouncing as the animal moved caused pain to shoot up her derriere and spine, she was seated side saddle which meant she was twisting awkwardly in order to hold onto Connor,

Her corset didn't allow for such a position with ease as her shoulders were aching also; not to mention her fingers and hands were half frozen from the wind and chill that hit them from where they were clutching the man around the stomach,

He did not appear to be affected in the slightest, he steered the horse with a natural fluidity that she thought was remarkable, Tabitha had heard rumours of Indians and she wondered if perhaps the idea that they were raised on horseback was true, the way he moved his body in sync with the beast as if they were a single mind was beautiful…she had never seen someone ride a horse in such a manner,

She winced as another bolt of pain plagued her back, how long could the animal keep going? They had not stopped since first leaving his home and now it was already sunset, this horse could survive a night in the blizzards and then run an entire day through the frozen snow without even foaming at the mouth,

Connor felt her flinch and glanced over his shoulder, she was pressing herself against his back so he could not see her face but he knew she was uncomfortable so he slowed his horse to a gentle walk and glanced around for somewhere to sleep, there must be a cave or something where they could rest?

His eyes found a thicket that looked like it would be sheltered, it might not be the warmest roof for their heads but with blankets that would be easily resolved, as long as it was dry and the snow could not reach the insides it would suffice,

"Miss Coxe" she jumped and her fingers clenched in his jacket tighter "we'll stop here for the night" he felt her nod against his shoulder blades, she was quiet now but he wasn't sure how long that would last once she saw where they'd be sleeping,

The Mohawk hopped out of the saddle first, the woman had a pained expression on her face as he held her about the waist to lift her to stand beside him, there was only a thin covering of white across the earth here, the hem of her dressed was watered but he was sure that would not cause much discomfort, her fingers looked a little red, from the cold no doubt, and she was leaning against him for balance "I'd never ridden a horse before I met you, Mr Kenway. I did not realise it was so painful"

He quirked his lips "come and sit down" he guided her to the thicket and as he had expected her eyes widened "we are sleeping here tonight" he said as she opened her mouth "it is warm and there is no snow" he pulled the side of the thicket up to allow her to crawl inside, she did so with much difficulty as her choice of clothing did not allow for stealthy moving,

She settled inside the small space, her head brushing the top of the makeshift shelter and catching twigs in her hair, she muttered in displeasure just as Connor pushed his way through with the bags,

The two of them and the bags made for very little moving space, their sides were pressed against one another and he was sitting on her skirts due to the way they'd fanned out as she'd sat, her corset, not made for allowing sitting, forced her back straight which caused more twigs to tangle in her already ruined hair again,

Tabitha was too busy trying to fight her way out of the clutches of the plant to notice that the Indian was reaching behind her to tug on the ribbons and like it had done that same morning as she slept it fell open at the back, and she squealed in a manner befitting only a pig,

"Mr Kenway!"

He had an amused smile on his lips "now you need no longer battle with the thicket roof" she frowned but could not argue that without the piece of clothing she was fully able to slouch better and avoid any more painful predicaments,

"Please do not make a habit of this"

Connor said nothing, he neither promised nor denied her request but she was no longer paying him attention as she tended to her abused head and locks, he handed her a blanket to cover herself with and used the other to try and cover the floor, it was not a simple task as he could not manoeuvre himself very well, in his haste to get the woman inside he'd forgotten about laying the cover on the ground for comfort as they slept,

Finally though, he was able to spread it, it was not as well covering as he would have hoped but it would do its job for the night; pushing the saddle bag into his corner he pulled out the two canteens they'd drunk from earlier and some more of the dried meat "this will only last another day or so, it won't spread far enough to sustain us to Boston" her eyes grew worried "water is no trouble" he smiled reassuringly "as for food, I can hunt. Don't fret; you will not go hungry or thirsty while you are in my care"

She took the meat he offered her and started nibbling it like she had done before "what do you hunt, Mr Kenway?"

"Rabbits, deer and pheasants…whatever is available" he answered "I only carry the dried meat for excess; it is useful to have something that doesn't perish quickly when you are riding for days"

"I see" the blond nodded "clever"

He knew it was clever, it was one of the first things a traveller learned about but as she said it he felt his neck grow hot, what a strange reaction to such a simple complement…would he have reacted the same way if someone else had said it? If a friend back in his village or perhaps Franklin had done the same? He wasn't sure,

Coughing into his fist he nodded "yes, it's very clever" she shifted her skirts, humming slightly when she realised they'd been caught under him, he stared at the rustling material for a moment and then moved his gaze up to her face "I'm sorry…" he began "I'm afraid I can't move from them, not until we lie to sleep at least"

"Oh, it's perfectly alright" she waved her hands wildly and flushed pink "I-um-I was just…" the woman trailed off and neither of them picked up the conversation,

Connor couldn't understand why the air felt so thick, had he done something? He felt…strange, as if he wasn't really himself and instead he was watching himself; watching himself sit there in that thicket with a woman and mumble awkwardly, he could not remember a time when he'd ever felt remotely like this, not even when he though back as far as his childhood,

Outside his mare whinnied and trampled the ground in boredom, he hadn't been able to find a nice spot for her and she was walking around looking for somewhere to rest, he didn't think tying her up in the open wind was a particularly good thing to do, especially when he'd run her the entire day, barley stopping in his haste to return the woman home,

He didn't want her sleeping out here longer than necessary because, like most Settlers and especially the women, she was too delicate to survive in the wilderness, with each passing hour he was afraid she would fall ill and with no Doctors of any sorts around for days she'd surely die,

Shaking his head Connor banished the thoughts whirling within his mind, what ugly things to think about when she was right there,

"Are you alright, Mr Kenway?" he jerked his head up at the sound of her voice,

"Yes, yes, I am fine"

"You appeared as thought you were in deep thought…I didn't interrupt did I?"

"No. I wasn't thinking of anything of overall importance" Tabitha was rubbing her hands, or more specifically she was rubbing her fingers, each one individually "are **you **quite alright, Miss Coxe?" she noticed him staring at her movements and quickly dropped her hands into her lap "let me see" he ordered, holding out one on his own hands for her,

Reluctantly she placed one in his palm and he gently examined the red and white patches that had grown across her hands and fingers "they're just a bit cold" she tried to argue weakly,

"You've been bitten by the cold. We must find a way to warm your hands before it grows worse" his face was grim as he spoke "come here" he motioned for her to move closer to him and he was still holding onto her hand so she had very little reason to say no,

He took the blanket draped across her shoulders and pulled it over his own, then he opened it and tugged her into his chest, closing the blanket up and trapping her hands between their bodies, she felt heat rush through her at the contact but it was most noticeable within her frozen fingers,

"Mr Kenway! This is highly inappropriate!" she shifted slightly "ow…they're hurting" her complaint turned into a pained whine,

"That is normal; the sudden temperature change has shocked your body. You will be fine as long as we keep them warm, sleep facing me tonight to prevent your hands from leaving the warmth of the blanket"

Tabitha could only nod mutely.

* * *

Connor pulled Tabitha closer to him as he felt her try to roll over as she slept, taking her tiny wrists in his large hand he held them firmly against his stomach, her eyebrows furrowed and she mumbled beneath her breath just before her forehead pressed further into his shoulder,

Confidant she had settled he let go of her wrists and wrapped that arm around her waist, his other arm was secured around her shoulders as she used it as a pillow,

He was surprised she so readily agreed to sleep beside him, he'd expected her to argue or try and create space but when it came time to rest she'd curled into his side immediately and placed her hands on his chest,

She moved a lot as she slept though, thrice now he'd had to hold her still when she attempted to shift her position, he was worried that if she rolled over her arms would escape the confines of the blankets and her frostbite would grow worse, as of now it was only in the beginning stages and wasn't serious,

Looking down he studied her face as she slept, her features were relaxed and soft; when she was awake her nose was usually crinkled or her mouth turned down whether because of the cold or because she was worried about something, he ran his finger down the bridge of her nose, feeling the tiny slope beneath his callused fingertip,

Her skin was almost like the silk of her corset; smooth to the touch…

The finger lowered to her lips, the lips that had entranced him since the first moment she'd used them on them, he traced them lightly and froze as they puckered, Connor blinked before continuing his ministrations; the plump, heart shaped mouth parted slightly and closed again, her eyes flickered under her lids as she dreamt,

He could feel her breath on his neck, hot and steady, he tilted his head and their noses knocked against one another before something stirred within his abdomen uncomfortably,

The Mohawk pulled away, this wasn't right!

Physically it felt right but emotionally it wasn't, if he kissed her as she slept he would be taking advantage of her and Connor wouldn't do that, he wouldn't force himself on this woman purely for the sake of sating his own desires,

He rolled onto his back still holding her to him around the waist; Tabitha clutched her hands to her chest and cuddled into his side with a sigh, he tightened his grip and turned his head so his nose could inhale from her hair, the smell of berries and flowers once again invading his senses as his eyes closed and his muscles relaxed, his rough hand rubbed her bare arm under the blanket absentmindedly

Mother, this woman was so strange…he had never been affected in such a way before, he wanted to clutch this woman as close as possible to take in all her heat, he wanted to mate their mouths in the way they'd had when he met her and never let go, he wanted to feel her arms around him and her fingers twist into his clothes in the same manner she'd done when they'd been riding,

What was happening to him? Were these the feelings a man should feel for a woman? He'd never felt such things before, in his entire time in his home village he'd never once thought about a woman and yet here he was, lying with this Settler lady and dreaming of holding her,

He breathed in her scent again and quirked his lips in a small smile, he could feel himself drifting off into unconsciousness but he promised to try and speak with Tabitha the next day about this, he thought it better to explain to her what he was feeling rather than let everything stew within him, otherwise he feared he might do something he'd regret and scare her,

And he didn't want to scare her,

But he wanted, **needed**, to know whether she was feeling anything similar to him, if she longed to hold him, if she longed to kiss him…he had to know, was this normal?

* * *

Rose: The chapters are getting shorter and shorter but that's not intentional, it just turns out when I put the plot into writing they come up shorter than I originally thought.

Review please!


	4. Chapter 4

Rose: I'm glad you are enjoying this story, thanks for any reviews if you gave them!

Disclaimer: OC's and plot.

* * *

"Miss Coxe?" Connor's breathe was visible in the air as he crouched over the makeshift fire pit, it was already dark outside and the howling of wolves could be heard in the distance, it sent shivers down the spine of the young Settler woman as she huddled against the back of the shallow cave that he'd found for them "there is a matter of great importance of which I would like to speak with you about"

Tabitha raised her head and blinked at him with her large eyes, the dim light from the moon that shone through the cave opening illuminating them so they looked like stars "what is it, Mr Kenway?"

Finally the flames burst up from the half dried sticks and light flooded their temporary residence, Connor's mare was lying in the cave entrance and she peered over her shoulder at the sudden flash of heat before clicking her teeth and closing her eyes again,

"Miss Coxe…I fear what I am about to say will shock and possibly scare you" he shifted on his knees towards the blond and raised his hand to touch her cheek, it was like frost beneath his fingers "come closer to the fire" he said instead, guiding her towards it and giving her the blanket "Miss Coxe, what do you feel when you are near me?"

Her eyes grew wide and her cheeks turned pink "I feel safe, Mr Kenway"

He bobbed his head to try and get a better look at her face but she hid in the blankets "do you feel nothing else?"

"Why are you asking such things?"

"I am curious" he replied shortly before continuing "would it be considered rude to ask another kiss of you?" she squeaked in embarrassment "I find myself unable to tear my thoughts from your lips, Miss Coxe"

She flicked her gaze and whispered softly "my lips?"

"And your hair; it smells like berries and flowers which remind me of home" her features were becoming redder with every word he spoke "your skin is as soft as the silk on your corset and the curve of your hips are hypnotising under my hands. But all of this and more still brings me back to your lips" Tabitha lowered the blanket slightly and locked eyes with him as he spoke "I wish to kiss you, Miss Coxe"

"That was very romantic, Mr Kenway" she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and smiled bashfully,

"Do you feel such things for me, Miss Coxe? Do you wish to kiss me? Do you wish to hold me?" unbeknownst to both of them he had moved closer still "I have never felt such things for a woman before, not even a woman from my own tribe"

The woman reached out her hand to stroke his face "I meant what I said…you are very handsome" he covered her hand with his much larger one,

"My people do not concern themselves with physical appearances but I find myself favouring your particular features. You are also handsome"

She giggled "handsome is more of a masculine term, to compliment a woman you should use words such as 'pretty' or 'beautiful'"

"Then you are beautiful" he nodded once and bowed his head "will you let me kiss you, Miss Coxe?"

Tabitha stared at his mouth for a moment, his lips were quite thick for a man and she could remember clearly how they felt against her own pair, she bit into her lower lip thoughtfully…could she give him permission to kiss her?

"Yes…" she exhaled, her eyes dropping slightly as he leaned in,

He felt like a fire had been ignited within him, heat spread to every crevice of his body as his lips brushed against hers, he moved the hand that was holding hers against his cheek so that it rested on her back and at the same time Tabitha pressed her mouth more firmly,

Connor could taste the recesses of beef and salt from when they'd eaten, his tongue darted out to lick it off and the woman jumped away with a hand covering her mouth "Mr Kenway?" she was fingering her bottom lip where his tongue had touched her "that was rather adventurous"

"Did I do something wrong, Miss Coxe?"

"No…no" she moved towards him again, arms slipping around his shoulders to lower his hood and feel the thin sheet of dark hair on his head, he pulled her towards him, arms securely wrapped around her to hold her to his chest as their kiss continued,

She appeared to have enjoyed when he'd used his tongue, so once again he tested the waters by licking lightly, this time her mouth parted slightly and he felt the urge to taste her more deeply, the woman gasped through her nose when their tongues met within her mouth,

"Miss Coxe" he took a sharp intake of breath as he pulled away from her, expecting her to do the same however, she started trailing very shy kisses across the stubble on his chin and jawbone,

It had never occurred to him to kiss other places,

His fingers found the ribbons on her back and he loosened her corset, that was becoming a habit, he thought with a chuckle as his had traced every vertebrae up her spine "please, you're welcome to call me Tabitha" the woman was now kissing his neck, he closed his eyes and let her continue but she suddenly pulled away to stare at him "you do not think of me as wanton do you, Mr Kenway?"

His eyes fluttered open and he shivered at the loss of contact "you are asking what I think of your reputation?" he elaborated for her "I care nothing for what others think; do what you feel is right and fight against what you believe to be wrong, that is how I live"

"But do you think I am wanton? A loose woman? A tart?"

"Why would I think such things?"

"Because I am kissing a man who is not my husband, or intended husband"

His hazel eyes studied her face; she looked scared, as if his answer to her questions meant everything to her "I understand why you might feel such things, but I do not believe you to be 'wanton'. A loose woman does not concern herself with such thoughts as you do, what does it matter if I am not your husband, or intended husband?"

She blinked rapidly and looked over at the fire; Connor was displeased to find that their kisses were coming to a stop so he cupped her chin and pressed his open mouth to the joint of her neck and shoulder "Mr Kenway!" she squealed,

"Give me your hands" without hesitation she held them out for him to take "do they still hurt?" the red and white patches that he had been so worried about the previous night had lessened significantly,

"No, they're a little tingly but other than that they're fine"

He rubbed them, massaging each soft finger with his own callused ones "tell me of your home in Boston" he asked,

She gawped at him for a moment before jumping in thought "oh, um…my father, Charles Coxe is a Banker" she began pathetically, she wasn't sure if he was interested in such things "and we live in a lovely house in North End…um…it's on Hanover Street…" he was still focusing on her hands "I'm sorry Mr Kenway but I'm not exactly sure what you want to hear"

"I'll listen to whatever you have to say"

Tabitha rolled her eyes up to the side as she tried to think of something to say that didn't sound utterly boring "er…I can't think of much"

"You have a sister, don't you?" he glanced at her quickly "tell me about her"

"Margaret? Oh yes, Margaret! She's such a sweetheart, I think the two of you would get on like a house on fire, she's so warm and everywhere she goes people just fall in love with her, I love visiting her in the summer where we have tea parties in the garden just like we used to pretend as children and we'd laugh about getting married and how many children we'd have and…oop" she pulled one of her hands back to cover her mouth "I'm so sorry, Mr Kenway, I appear to be babbling"

Connor smiled "it's quite alright; is she your older or younger sister? Do you have any other siblings?"

"She's older than me, twenty-eight. She's my only sibling"

"How old are you?"

"Mr Kenway, it's very rude to ask a lady her age" she chastised him but he could see her fighting a small grin,

"I'm sorry, Miss…Tabitha"

He motioned for her hands again and began pressing his thumbs into her palms in a relaxing manner "twenty"

"Hm?"

"I'm twenty, Mr Kenway"

"I am twenty-three"

Tabitha sighed lightly "what about you, Mr Kenway? Tell me of your home"

He paused for a moment "I was born where the Valley Forge military camp now stands, when I was a young child it was destroyed by colonial forces" her eyes widened "afterwards we were moved to a reservation outside of New York"

"What about your family?"

"My mother, Kaniehti:io, she…" he paused, not wanting to tell her of his mothers death years before "she was an interesting woman"

"And what of your father?"

"He was a British soldier; I know much of him but have never met him"

"Oh…" Tabitha replied sadly before quickly attempted to perk herself up "your mothers name is…very strange"

He laughed "to you, perhaps. But it is a very common Mohawk name"

"So you have a Mohawk name too?" she inquired, he nodded "what is it? If you don't mind my asking"

"Ratonhnhaké:ton"

"Ra…Ra-doon…I'm sorry, how do you say that?"

"Ra-doon-ha-kay-doon" he sounded out for her with a smirk, he watched her mouth it a few times,

"Ratonhnhaké:ton? Is that right? Oh my, such a strange name…so very long and complicated" he chuckled in amusement "where do you live now?"

"Here and there; when I'm not in the military camps I'm at my wigwam or with my mother"

"You don't have a home?"

"I have many homes"

Tabitha's hands were more than warm enough now but Connor still held on to them, massaging them as they looked at each other throughout their talk; slowly he raised them up and pressed her knuckles to his lips, fighting a smile as he did so at the shocked expression painted on her face just before he watched the usual flow of red to her cheeks "you appear to have an afinity for kissing, Mr Kenway"

He trailed small kisses to the back of her hand and then her wrist "it appears I do"

Her other hand stretched out, fingers examining the string around his neck where three long white bones were nestled in the cove of his collar bone "are these from a bear or something?"

"Wolf" he corrected "please don't change the subject, Tabitha" he pecked each of her fingertips and she quickly retracted the hand on his chest back to play with her hair bashfully "I asked you a two questions earlier and you never gave me a definite answer; do you wish to kiss me? Do you wish to hold me?"

"I believe so" she replied,

"Is that an answer to one or both of my questions?"

Her blush travelled down her neck to rest on her breast "I'm not sure the second one is very appropriate, Mr Kenway"

Connor grinned against the skin of her wrist and nibbled lightly, pulling a tiny shriek of surprise from the young woman "I am curious to know what you think, Tabitha, just because you answer me it does not mean I will act upon it"

"Why are you so interested in me? Just two days ago I was screaming and slapping you"

"You were also kissing me"

"Well…yes, I suppose I was"

"You are an intriguing woman; you're very different to other Settler women I have seen, and you are not at all like the women I grew up with. When we reach Boston I will be sad to see you go"

Her head tilted at his words "I will also be quite sad, but I'm sure I would be able to convince my mother and father to have you for tea some time. After all, you did save my life"

He smiled.

* * *

"I will scout ahead, I am not sure if the terrain is safe for the horse"

Connor slid down from the saddle and landed heavily in the crunchy snow, Tabitha felt the horse jump as he led her to a nearby tree and tied the reins around the skinny trunk "will you be alright?" she asked worridly,

He nodded "I will be fine" he squeezed her hand where it was resting on her lap to reassure her "this horse is very docile, you will be safe on her back until I return" she clutched his hand back and smiled before he trudged off into the trees to check the valley,

Once out of her sight he scrambled up into a tree and leapt across the gaps, swinging his way to other trees and using rocks to keep himself from getting stuck in the snow, moving like this was faster and he would be back to Tabitha quickly, leaving her in cold without his body to shield her from the winds would cause her to get sick,

With the heavy snow fall the past few days he was unsure if the passage would be clear enough for the horse to fight her way through, if it wasn't they were going to have to take the long way which would cause them to pass close to a British military camp,

And Connor didn't think passing an enemy camp was an intelligent idea, especially with a women in tow,

The valley came into view and he sighed in relief from his vantage point, it was clear enough for the horse but with the grey clouds rolling in he wasn't sure how much longer that would last.

* * *

Rose: There's gonna be some action in the next chapter, you can probably guess what it's going to involve,

Review please!


	5. Chapter 5

Rose: Thanks for reading and reviewing if you did so, I'm glad you're enjoying this story.

Disclaimer: OC's and plot.

* * *

Tabitha Coxe shifted her derriere on the leather saddle and rubbed her bare arms to try and warm them, the area she'd been left to wait in was mostly sheltered from the wind and lightly falling snow but that didn't mean it wasn't still unbearably cold.

She blew into her hands and went back to rubbing before craning her neck in the direction Connor had left, how far was this valley he wanted to check? How long was it going to take him?

Another shiver wracked her form; she hoped it wouldn't take much longer…

So preoccupied with Connor and her shivering self she didn't hear the crunching snow behind her getting louder and the un-gentlemanly swearing that would have turned her hair grey had she been paying attention.

They saw her before she heard them.

"Well, well, well…" one of three men purred as he caught the sight of a dishevelled young woman seated upon the back of a grey mare "what have we 'ere?"

"Wallace…" another spoke in a warning tone; he was ignored as the first man quickly smoothed down his beard and brushed the frost from the shoulders of his military coat.

"Excuse me gents" he chuckled "but I spy a damsel in distress…and we all know what damsels do with the men who rescue them"

Tabitha puffed into her hands again and patted the horse on the neck timidly, her head bounced in response before her ears quirked and she turned to look at the newcomers coming from behind, her nostrils flared as she took in their scent and her ears flattened dangerously, the woman on her back twisted to see what had unnerved the horse so much and her eyes widened.

The man approaching her threw his arm up in a salute with his musket held to his side "may I help you?" she asked quietly, her eyes darting from the man closest to her and his two comrades behind him further back.

"I was about to ask you the same question Miss, are you quite well? Are you in need of assistance?"

"Oh, oh no" she quickly tried to wave him away "I am quite well, thank you Sir. I am merely awaiting the return of a friend whom has left me to scout ahead"

He moved closer and grasped the reins of the horse; the two other men appeared on either side of the animal to prevent her from dismounting, not that she would have been able to run if she tried.

"It's not safe out here, Miss; there are wolves about looking for a meal in this bare time"

"Yes, the wolves frighten me" she replied, staring at him intently as she said it but he wasn't watching her, instead he was more focused on leading the horse around the tree it had been tied to and over the way they'd come from "wait…what are you doing?"

One of the other men, the same one who had attempted to warn Wallace off earlier, patted her hand "it is quite alright, Miss, we're taking you to our camp where it is warmer and safer for you. Jameson will stay behind to await your friend and lead him to you; we cannot leave you here to freeze"

"Please" she begged, moving around in the saddle uncomfortably "please, return me! I do not wish to go with you"

"I'm Private Tanner, Miss; I will take care of you until your friend comes"

She stared at him; his eyes were a bright green colour and emitted warmth and kindness, what was a man as sweet as him doing within the military? He was still just a boy; his musket was bigger than him!

"I am Tabitha Coxe" she smiled weakly "perhaps you've heard of my father, the Banker in Boston?"

Wallace inclined his head "I know of him, his name is Charles, am I right?" she nodded "yes, he's quite well known within the ranks for his contributions to the military"

She nodded again; her father was a staunch supporter of the war and a true believer in the Crown, he had assisted in rounding donations from other supporters to help with shipping equipment from Great Britain on numerous occasions.

The horse stumbled in the snow and Tabitha clutched at her mane to remain balanced, they struggled up over a ridge and she saw the military camp come into view; a pocket of tents surrounded by trees and a makeshift fence, this was obviously a camp they were expecting to stay in for a while.

Up on the flagpole the Union Flag flew proudly despite being slightly tattered on the hems from the beating it was taking from the wind,

Tabitha gulped as the horse was taken through the gates towards the posts where a few others were tied up; Tanner lifted his arms and held her by the waist to assist her to her feet "there you are, Miss" he smiled warmly and offered her his arm.

"Thank you, Private Tanner" she replied automatically, glancing around nervously.

A compound filled with men was the last place a woman would wish to be…unless she happened to be a woman of ill repute which, of course, Tabitha did not see herself as being.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, looking behind her as Connor's horse got further away, the poor thing was pulling on her reins in a futile attempt to get free and return to her side, so obedient and docile as he had promised her it had allowed the men to lead her away rather than flee and risk bucking the young woman from her back.

"To the Colonel" he chirped happily.

Tabitha was not feeling very reassured but she chose to remain silent, there was no snow within the camp so she had very little trouble walking but instead there was an expanse of mud that was soaking into the hems of her skirts, every last layer, it weighed her down and chilled her legs, making her uncomfortable in her own clothes.

The tent belonging to the Colonel was very large. She was directed inside and left to wait alone after Tanner informed her they were going to get their commanding officer.

The floor had been covered in a rug to prevent the mud outside from spreading, there was even a makeshift shaving and wash station close to the bed that had been constructed in the corner.

She rubbed her arm worriedly, what had happened to Connor? She hoped he was alright and that he'd come get her soon. She felt frightened at being surrounded by so many men…

Oh, the stories she was going to be able to tell her father when she returned home…

**If **she returned home…it was looking a little bit bleak, how was an army base in the middle of nowhere going to help her? They weren't allowed to leave the base for anything other than military business.

And what of Connor? Was he alright? Where was he? Tabitha touched her lips fearfully; she desperately hoped nothing had happened to him on his scout, she hoped he hadn't been attacked!

What if he had? What if he was taking so long because a pack of wolves or a bear had ambushed him and he was now lying half dead in the snow with no one around to hear him scream-

"Excuse me"

"Ahhhhh!" she shrieked in surprise and span around, hands pressed over her heart as she panted "oh…hello" trying to catch her breath she quickly curtsied to the much older man standing by the entrance of the tent.

"I didn't mean to frighten you, ma'am"

"It…it's quite alright, I should not have been daydreaming" the blond female cleared her throat "you are the Colonel, I assume?"

"Yes ma'am" he bowed to her before drawing himself up into a salute "Colonel Hale, at your service. My men tell me they found you alone out in the forest?"

"Yes. My companion and I have been travelling together, they went ahead to scout out the valley"

"I see, and where are they now?"

She paused "I don't know…"

He nodded "very well. You're welcome to stay here until your companion has been found, if you find yourself in need of something do not hesitate to ask. If you are bored I'm sure my men will find something to…do with you" he said before exiting the tent, he did not look at her as he spoke.

"Thank you, I-" she cut herself off and pulled an appalled expression as she suddenly realising what the Colonel was insinuating.

* * *

Connor swung himself down onto the ground and landed with a grunt before picking himself up and trudging back towards the sheltered clearing where Tabitha was probably shivering on the back of his mare and awaiting his return.

As he got closer however, he could see through the thickening flurry of snowflakes that she was not where he'd left her.

In her place was a Redcoat, he was struggling to stave off the cold by bouncing on the spot impatiently…it appeared he was waiting for someone.

His heart leapt up into his throat; there was no doubt that she'd been spotted by a patrol but he had seen no tracks to indicate this was a common patrol route and had thought it a perfect spot to leave her as he went to scout ahead.

He knew where the camp was, roughly, but the idea of Tabitha alone in a camp filled with men was…unnerving to say the least.

Connor knew from first hand experience that men who had been deprived of a women could be desperate. He'd seen it during his time in the Patriot camps and that was when there were prostitutes walking around, he didn't want to know what would happen if the men had been refused bed warming women…

He climbed back into the trees and reached behind his back for an arrow, only to grasp at nothing.

Damnit…he'd tied his quiver to the saddle because the woman had been riding behind him!

He put his bow back on and pulled out his tomahawk instead, it looked like he was going to have to do this the messy way…

The Redcoat puffed and swore under his breath, where was this person he was supposed to be waiting for? That stupid woman had probably lied because she hadn't wanted to be taken, well, he wasn't going to wait forever and if it turned out she was lying there would be hell to pay!

Connor leapt from the tree and landed on the Redcoat, he was knocked face down into the snow but before he could attempt to fight back the Mohawk had swung his tomahawk down into his skull, killing him instantly and staining the pure white around them a sinful red.

Standing back up he wiped off his weapon and slipped it back into his belt before running off after the tracks that still remained fresh, although they were slowly beginning to fill as the snowfall became heavier.

He followed them over the hill. From this position he could see the encampment, there was a tall wall surrounding it but there were also many trees that would provide a way up and over without needing to use the main entrances; first he needed to locate both his horse and Tabitha because he'd take the former back and use her to escape with the latter.

He had to create a distraction that would clear the way to wherever the horses were being kept; a nearby tree that had retained its leaves provided good cover for him and was close enough to the fence so he could drop down inside the camp.

There was a tower of barrels, no doubt they contained the food and water that the camp was living on out here, if he toppled them then everyone would come running in order to save their rations.

He cocked his rope dart and took aim at one of the middle barrels, it was a supporting structure and everything above it would collapse, he wasn't going to be so cruel as to deny them **all **their food.

The dart penetrated the wood and he started to retract it, when he felt it tug he yanked hard to free the dart from the barrel and the force pulled it out completely, taking the barrel with it, Connor watched with a slight smirk as it fell and vanished from sight behind some of the tents along with the barrels that had been on top of it.

It exploded and he saw and heard the splash of some water,

Then he heard a scream…

A woman's scream…

Tabitha!

* * *

Rose: I'll end it here for the moment, oh noes! What's happened to Tabitha?

Review please!


	6. Chapter 6

Rose: Sorry for the month long wait. I know I usually update every 2 weeks but my laptop broke and I couldn't continue writing seven. So now my chapters are backed up. There might be a bit of a wait for 7, I hope you don't mind.

Disclaimer: OC's and plot.

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"Listen Tanner, I might not be your superior officer but I can guarantee that if you don't go get that woman and bring her to the mess hall then there'll be trouble for you!"

Private Tanner cowered before the much older and much larger Private Wallace, looking between him and the Colonels tent where the woman, Tabitha Coxe, was holed up.

As long as she remained in there she was safe but as soon as she took a step outside the confines of the tent then she was free game to anyone walking around; he didn't want her to get hurt since she was so nice and polite to him but he also knew better than to test Private Wallace and his threats.

With a reluctant sigh he started towards the tent, glancing back once in time to see Wallace disappear around the corner; perhaps he should just wait around a few minutes and then go tell him he tried his best?

No, Wallace would just send him back…possibly after beating him a bit.

"Ahem…" he coughed outside the flap "Miss Coxe"

"Ow. Blast these wretched pins!" he heard the woman cry from inside "my head is more metal than hair!"

He peeked inside, she was standing in-front of the Colonels make-shift wash station trying to free her hair from the long tangled up-do it had been placed in and at the same time she was brushing the hair that became trapped so that it fell down her back in long, gentle waves.

Private Tanner gulped and cleared his throat again, the grey orbs of the woman span to his reflection in the mirror and she smiled "hello" her face beamed happily "please excuse my language, you have no idea how utterly painful these pins are"

There was a small pile of them on the vanity, he almost winced at the sheer number that had been wrapped around her locks for the past however many days "Miss Coxe…um…are you hungry?"

She paused to think "I suppose I am a little" since joining with Connor all she'd eaten was dried beef and a small amount of cooked rabbit that the Mohawk had been able to acquire that morning, her stomach was yearning for real sustenance but an army camp probably wasn't the place to find it.

"I'll take you to the mess hall. I'm sure the cook will set aside a small ration for you"

At last the final pin came loose and the blond swished her hair a few times "that would be lovely, thank you Private Tanner" he opened the flap for her but just before she stepped outside he watched her hesitate "it is quite safe outside isn't it?" she asked him.

"Y-yes. Of course" he nodded twice and motioned for her to step out ahead of him; she waited a moment or two more and then slowly walked out into the winter sun, the mud once again wetting the hem of her skirts but it couldn't do anymore than had already been done "this way"

They passed by a makeshift scaffolding, piled on top of it were a number of large wooden barrels with a few more on the ground around the pillars that had been opened.

When they were just beyond it they heard the barrels ratting, turning around Tabitha and Tanner saw the centre barrel fall from the pyramid and land on the soggy earth, it exploded loudly, showering them with the half frozen water that was stored inside, and the barrels that had been above it hit the ground moments later, spreading meats and more water.

She shrieked, both in surprise and at the cold that was now soaking through her many skirts all the way down to her shift and stockings and even dripping into her shoes,

"Miss Coxe!" Private Tanner yelped; she shuddered as a breeze rushed past her "are you hurt?"

"No" she shook her head, luckily her upper half hadn't been hit "I'm fine…but I'm not hungry anymore"

He swallowed "um…alright, I'll escort you back to the Colonels tent" he took her elbow in his hand and started trying to guide her around the swampy mess that had been formed on the ground "how on earth did they fall?" he mused to her, she didn't reply and continued to shiver.

"It's the Assassin!" someone a few tents over called "get the Colonel! The Assassin is in the base!"

The pair heard screams of pain followed closely by the pounding of hooves on frozen earth before a grey mare swerved around the corner, on her back was a figure hooded all in white with blue trims brandishing a blood soaked tomahawk,

The mare reared up and leapt over the heads of the men that tried to block her, Tanner's eyes widened upon realising that the horse and rider were **coming directly at him and the woman**! He tried to hurry her along but she was unwilling to move "Miss Coxe!" he cried in a panic.

Was this the 'friend' she had been waiting for? That was defiantly the horse she'd been brought in on and it could not just be coincidence that the grey mare was the one he'd decided to steal.

Tanner didn't have time to think about it a moment longer as the horse skidded to a stop and the foot of the man hit him square in the chest, winding him and causing him to fall to his back.

Connor grasped the front of Tabitha's bodice to try and drag her up onto his saddle but one of the nearby soldiers shot his rifle and the mare jumped back. The Mohawk turned his steed around and released the woman so he could deal with the attackers.

He drew an arrow and readied his bow, steering the horse with his strong legs the man let go and the arrow flew through the air to impale the skull of the man closest to the settler woman he'd come to save, thankfully it wasn't Private Tanner. She screamed fearfully before finding herself being pushed back through a group of soldiers so they could fire at the intruder.

The Indian clenched his jaw and swung his tomahawk as he rode, the wall of Redcoats parted before he could trample them and Tabitha looked up in time for his arm to encircle her waist to yank her up in front of him, she scrabbled to hold onto him by throwing her arms around his neck and chest, he couldn't spare one of his own arms to secure her because he was drawing back another arrow as the soldiers were readying their own horses to chase him.

He galloped out of the gates towards the valley, the snow had been falling for a while now and the already covered and frozen ground was becoming harder to ride through with each passing minute, not to mention it was hard to see through the flurry.

The mare dived over a fallen tree and tripped slightly, Connor knew making her run like this was dangerous but he didn't have much of a choice due to the threat residing behind them, he shot a rider as he appeared from behind some trees, it was a good thing their coats were so vibrant against the white background of the forest.

His horse whinnied and skidded down the slope to land in the middle of the valley, she bowed down onto one of her knees and heaved in cold air, Connor grabbed Tabitha to prevent her from being dislodged and pulled the reins to make the mare stand up again; she did so obediently.

"_Go! Go!_" he ordered her, glancing behind them worriedly, he could hear the war horses but as of yet they were a ways behind them.

She forced herself up but she could not gallop, the most she could manage was a slow canter that Connor didn't believe would allow them to keep their lead on the soldiers but if they could just make it to the other side of the valley and across the river they'd be safe.

The mare struggled on and began to foam at the mouth from exhaustion; Connor had no choice but to keep urging her on as he could see the river.

She splashed into the water. Releasing hoarse pants with her tail flicking in irritation before Connor leapt from her back and guided her into the undergrowth that he had known was waiting for them, the mare collapsed onto her side and he covered her before taking the blond woman and hiding in another thicket close by. The close confines meant he was lying across her back and from this position he could feel the cold wetness of her clothes and briefly wondered what had happened to her.

She was shivering slightly, her soaked skirts were starting to freeze into a solid mass and her stockings had become frozen to her legs which was incredibly painful for her.

She had no chance to voice her complaints, however, as the thundering hooves of the soldiers horses passed them by and she gasped in shock at how close they came to running them over. Connor held her a little tighter and kept his head low, his white coat camouflaging him against the snow and also hiding her wine coloured dress.

Finally it ended and he sat up taking her with him, looking around he could no longer sense any of the Redcoats even when he used his second sight to track the prints they'd left behind.

"Are you hurt in any way?" he cupped her face and leant in, she shook her head.

"I'm just very cold" she whispered "I don't know how it happened, but as Private Tanner was escorting me to the mess hall a pyramid of barrels filled with water collapsed!"

Connor blinked and swallowed quickly "imagine that" he mumbled, he'd been worried that she was under attack when it was his fault she'd screamed in the first place, the male helped her to her feet and guided her as she walked stiffly "let's find some shelter, my horse needs to rest and you need to warm yourself"

* * *

Thank the heavens shelter had not been too far, his horse was close to fainting from the combination of cold air, fear and exhaustion.

They'd eventually come across a deep cave that sloped underground slightly to provide more warmth, it large enough for the mare to lie down inside out of the wind and snow with more than enough room for the two humans to build a fire and get comfortable.

Connor constructed a stable clothes horse over the fire where all of Tabitha's skirts now rested but she still wore her soaked and frozen shift and knee length stockings, she was reluctant to remove them and with good cause.

He finally decided that a simple blanket wasn't going to be enough for her if she was nude, so he pulled off his sleeveless dress uniform and unbuckled his rope dart and hidden blade so he could give her the long sleeved jacket he wore under it. She stared at him for a moment; standing in only his undershirt, trousers and boots, an assortment of weapons at his feet from where he'd removed them in order to undress.

"Take this" he handed the jacket to her "and give me your shift and stockings, if you continue to wear them you'll become sick"

She stood with her arms wrapped around herself; her skin had turned pale and he was drawn to her hands, thinking about the frostbite.

'One problem at a time' he reminded himself.

"Thank you, Mr Kenway" the jacket was heavier than she'd assumed it would be but just from looking at it she could tell how warm was "please, if you don't mind" she made a twisting motion with her finger. It took him a moment to catch on but he complied and turned around.

The blond slipped out of her camisole and buttoned up the jacket, it fell between her knees and hips in an uncomfortable manner as she was used to clothes covering her to the ankle,.

She sat back down and wrapped the blanket around her, poking out her legs to try and remove the long stockings that had become stuck to her legs "ow" she winced as she peeled the linen garments away, Connor heard her whimper and turned around before he could stop himself, luckily she was covered but he had to help her now.

"Warm your hands" he ordered softly, taking over the removal of her stockings for her and smiling lightly, she winced as every patch of frozen fabric ripped hair and skin from her legs but he was as gentle as he could be.

He marvelled at the natural hue of her skin and the fine peach fuzz that coated her calves before quickly finding himself distracted he gathered up her clothes and hung them on the clothes horse to dry, they'd be ready for her to redress soon.

As she was content with warming herself by the fire, he checked on his horse before pulling his dress uniform and cuffs back on so he could grab his bow and arrows to find them something to eat, at the same time he hoped he'd be able to gather something for his horse, she'd probably eaten at the camp but there was no doubt she'd already run that food off already.

"You will come back this time, right?" at first he mistook her question for fear and when he turned to console her he was surprised to find her smiling.

He almost grinned at her "of course"

* * *

Rose: Yay for chapter six! How much longer are they going to be trapped in the tundra? Wow, they're taking forever to get home; they need to stop getting sidetracked.

Review please!


	7. Chapter 7

Rose: Sorry it took so long, I'm back earlier than I said I would be. Unfortunately this one isn't very long but there was no way to make it go on longer. I hope you don't mind and still enjoy it anyway.

Disclaimer: OC's and plot.

Also, quick note to "Guest" I did some research on trains in the past and a few websites were saying they were invented in the mid 1700's. So I took that to mean they were available to everyone at that time, obviously what it really meant was they were just prototypes and real trains weren't operational until the 1800's. I feel kinda stupid now but I won't go back and change it.

And Native American horses weren't trained to understand English like ours are; when Conner speaks to his horse he's speaking his native tongue, hence the italics, so that the horse will understand him. I'm well aware Indians can't talk to animals. Thanks.

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Tabitha slid the dry, if slightly crisp, chemise over her head and tugged on her stockings before slipping her arms back into the sleeves of Connors' jacket and smiling; it was so thick and warm!

And it smelled like him too…that was an added plus she could appreciate.

Looking up towards the opening of the cave she saw the outline of his horse in the dim light, she was breathing heavily and exhaling thick clouds of air and the sweat on her pelt was clearly visible; she hoped the mare would be okay. The poor thing had tried to hard to stay with her when the soldiers had taken them and she'd run herself half to death in an attempt to save her and Connor.

Stones clacked beside the animal and said man slipped down the shallow slope to land in the light of the fire, two skinny rabbits in his hand, Tabitha stared at the dead things for a moment before raising her eyes to meet with the Mohawk's "are you okay?" she asked him.

He blinked "yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

She shrugged "I just thought I should ask"

The male dropped the two rabbits on the floor and sat down, afterwards he pulled out his hidden blade to begin skinning them ready to cook "you might want to look away" he offered her.

"I saw a man get shot though the head today…a little rabbit isn't going to compare to that"

Connor sighed "I didn't intend for you to witness something like that. I had originally wanted to ride through the camp and grab you with as little bloodshed as possible"

Her onyx eyes didn't flinch "they called you 'Assassin'" he halted his movements and waited for her to continue "what did they mean?"

"I am an Assassin" he replied simply "I'm a member of an elite Brotherhood and for the good of the Order I seek out and assassinate specific targets and anyone who tries to stop me"

"And the British Army is your target?"

"Although I wear the colours of the Revolution…I will kill men from both sides of the war if it helps me to attain my goals"

"So if the British Army is not your target, who is?"

"There are many targets and they all belong to a group called 'Templar's'"

"Who-"

"Tabitha…I've said too much already, this kind of information could get you killed if anyone were to hear of it. You're already in danger, I heard one of the Redcoats call your name and I'm well known amongst both sides of the revolution; there's no telling the kind of repercussions that could have for you"

The blond nodded "alright, I understand. I won't ask anymore questions"

Connor skewed the rabbit meat onto two long sticks and suspended it over the fire, out of range of her clothes "your shift is missing…" he muttered.

She smiled "it was dry, my stockings too. Do you want your jacket back?"

"I'm warm enough without it" leaving the fire for a moment he moved to crouch down in front of the smaller woman, cupping her face he leant in "I never intended for you to be in such danger. The entire time I was trying to get into the camp I could only think of you being surrounded by so many men…and now, now they know that we are somehow connected"

"Then I will just tell them you kidnapped me" she chirped "after all, you wear the colours of the Revolution and my father is a well known financer for the British Army. I'm sure they can put two and two together"

He rubbed her cheeks with his thumbs "your father supports the British?"

"Quite"

His thumbs had left red streaks across her face, the blood from the rabbit, and when he realised what he'd done he pulled away, spat on his hands and wiped them on his trousers before attempting to clean the marks from her skin "what's wrong?" she reached up and her fingers met with his.

Their eyes met and he parted his lips slowly "I don't want to let you go" he admitted "it won't feel the same, not having you ride with me through the day as I'm travelling"

Tabitha smiled softly "I actually meant 'was there something wrong with my face?'" he blinked "but that was very sweet, I admit…it will feel strange for me also, not having you around to talk to" he kissed her gently, feeling her melt into him like all the other times they had done this as her arms wound around his neck and she pulled her lips from his and rested her head on his shoulder "I will miss you"

His mouth found her bare neck and he nipped the skin between his teeth, she jumped and a bead of sweat, caused by the heat of the fire, rolled down from under her hair and he lapped it up quickly, the woman jumped slightly and he gripped her waist.

He traced down the fabric of his jacket and tucked his fingers under the hem so he could stroke the soft material of her chemise at her thighs, he heard her suck in a short breath "Mr Kenway?"

"Please…" he muttered into her throat "you're welcome to call me by name"

"This isn't proper…Connor"

The Mohawk chuckled and one of his hands rose to run through her half tangled hair, it was no longer held with all those pins and he observed it running through his fingers like golden water "I have never cared for what is proper" he rubbed his nose into the locks he was holding, her eyes were fixated on his actions "does this feel wrong to you?"

"No" she replied with sincerity.

"Then is there any reason to stop?"

"I…don't believe so" she was less assure of herself this time, but he was sure it wasn't fear…more likely it was confusion and hesitation.

"What if I did kidnap you?" he teased her lightly; lips still against the thin skin of her neck and making her shiver.

She chuckled lightly "you are a cad. Mr Kenway"

"Connor" he corrected, kissing down to her shoulder and finding the collar of his jacket in the way. Swiftly he pushed it down as his long fingers began to slide the buttons at the front of the coat through the holes. He felt her shudder but she did not indicate she was uncomfortable, in-fact; she pushed herself into his arms more.

She was hugging him tightly and he clenched his fingers into her back and ran his hand through her hair gently. Tabitha began to pull away but Connor was not ready to give her up and so he followed her subconsciously; they lost their balance and tumbled onto the blanket with him straddling the smaller woman as his nose buried itself in the crook of her neck.

"C-Connor!" the blond blurted, face turning red as he nuzzled her.

"My apologies…" his muffled voice called but he did not move, choosing instead to run his hand down her side, parting the jacket as his lips descended to her collar bone. She shuddered and softly stroked his cheeks.

Her legs wriggled between his and he chuckled. At first she pouted angrily but then her own giggles managed to fight their way out "you are certainly not a gentleman Connor"

"I have never claimed to be such" he whispered, kissing her neck and dipping down lower.

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Rose: I know what you're all thinking; did they 'do it'? Well, you'll find out in the next chapter but as you're wondering try to remember that I'm not that cliché.

Review please!


	8. AN

Okay. Another AN, sorry about this. But since the game as come out I've decided I can't salvage this story. When I started writing I was using beta knowledge taken from leaks about the game but now that it's been released the plot I've made just won't work.

HOWEVER!

I am not quiting this story, I am, however, going to re-write it so that it fits more comfortably in with the actual game plot whilst at the same time not becoming a carbon copy of the game which we've seen so often before (and besides, if you want one of those go read my Pokemon fic :P)

I'll leave this up so you can still read it if you want. But stay tuned for a newer version to come out soon. And don't forget to sent me PM's and reviews if you have anything to discuss. Thanks, and I look forward to seeing what you think of the new story.


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